Projects

The unprecedented Ebola (EVD) epidemic in West Africa is not just a health crisis. It is also a crisis of information. After heavy criticism that thousands of deaths were avoidable, the World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledged this crisis of information saying “[t]he Ebola outbreak points to the need for urgent change”. Beyond the devastating outcome of EVD, the epidemic highlighted the ineffectiveness of using top down messaging to reach and inform various communities and publics, as well as the challenges journalists faced in bridging information gaps between scientists, NGOs, development and government agencies, and local communities. Research is needed to better understand the elements that could improve future journalism during infectious disease outbreaks. This project is exploring these elements by examining the lived experiences of journalists during emergency and post-outbreak periods.

Project Addison is an exploratory curriculum innovation project that seeks to respond to what next generation learning will look like by examining the challenge of how to make Concordia University a Canadian leader in experimental science journalism. The project seeks to create a space where all Concordia students interested in science journalism (future scientific storytellers) can experiment to create future practice and leadership roles. The project investigates current science journalism curriculums worldwide and seeks to develop a research/presentation space for the creation of experimental media forms.

A sense of urgency has emerged in the last decade about the future of science journalism. While it is often argued as an important source of information for non-specialists, science journalism has been heavily criticised as unable to connect with citizens in ways that allow meaningful engagement with science. This critique has intensified as diverse informational environments have appeared online and contentious scientific issues (e.g GMOs, stem cells, climate change, biofuels) have moved towards the misuse of scientific evidence. These critiques are particularly important to online science journalists who now compete with scientists, public relations officers and audiences for the formation of scientific narratives. To date, such criticism has produced no clear consensus on what would be “better” science journalism. The objective of this project is to ask: Can models be designed to allow science journalists to better cope with politically and ethically contentious scientific issues?

The Genozymes GE3LS project is the integrated social science component of the Genozymes for Bioproducts and Bioprocesses Development project, a $17.4M genomics project aiming to identify, analyze and develop potential enzymes in fungi that can be used to convert plant material into biofuels, biochemicals and other products for industrial use. The GE3LS project involves two elements: (a) studies to establish new standards to measure the sustainability of converting woody biomass to biofuels and other products, and (b) studies to develop effective communications strategies to engage the Canadian public in a conversation about issues associated with using biomass as a key source of chemicals and fuels in the future.

Longstaff, H., Secko, D. M. (2014). “Assessing the quality of a deliberative democracy mini-public event about advanced biofuel production and development in Canada,” Public Understanding of Science DOI: 10.1177/0963662514545014.